I will likely be using the hM4Di variant of DREADD and hope to avoid stressing the rat with an IP injection so close to a behavioral study that requires attention. IP will further be made more difficult by a headstage containing implanted electrodes that I would hope to avoid knocking around, so I am hoping to get suggestions for trying to administer CNO orally by gavage.
Hi!
Actually, oral gavage can more stress animals than ip. It raises blood pressure, heart rate, and plasma corticosterone levels (Brown AP, Dinger N, Levine BS (2000). Stress produced by gavage administration in the rat. Contemp Top Lab Anim Sci 39: 17-21).
What if you habituate rats prior experiment with saline injection? In 7-10 days of habituation you reliably reduce stress levels.
I would suggest the same. If the rat's fixed well and habituated to i.p. injections for a few times, it shouldn't be a problem at all. On top that, you have to wait for CNO to be active in the brain (~30 min), which allows the animal to 'recover' from the injection.
You could also have a holder for your IP injection, this way there is no contact with the rats head.
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